sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Milk Day!
Not to be confused with World Milk Day on June 1, National Milk Day falls on January 11 to observe the very first time milk was delivered to homes inside sterilized glass bottles. It took until 1878 before anybody thought to fill bottles with milk and seal them with waxed paper. Before that, conditions for storing milk (let alone delivering it) were unsanitary at best and downright hazardous at worst.
SU News
Tech attempts to right the ship at Syracuse on Wednesday - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Following another game in which victory barely escaped Virginia Tech, the Hokies travel to Syracuse in an attempt to reverse their ACC and road fortunes on Wednesday night. Tom Werme and Terrence Oglesby will be on the call for RSN at 7 p.m., while Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop provide coverage for the Virginia Tech Sports Network.
Stay Connected with Tech Men's Basketball
SCOUTING THE ORANGE
Transfers have struggled following Syracuse basketball stints - The Juice Online (the juice; McGlynn)
If Jim Boeheim is ever looking to persuade a young player to stay with the program, all he should have to do is point to the transfers out of Syracuse as a reason not to leave. The list of players to transfer out and find success is short, if existent at all. At the same time, Orange fans would preferred for a few players to stay, namely Kadary Richmond and Quincy Guerrier.
There are seven former ‘Cuse players still featuring in college basketball lineups. Let’s check in on how the exports have fared since exiting the program.
Frank Anselem
Not much has changed for Frank Anselem. His situation has not really improved, nor has it gotten worse. The former SU big man landed at Georgia and has filled a very similar role to the one he did in Central New York. His numbers look very much the same across the board. He is playing just one more minute per game and his scoring is up from 2.7 points per game to 3.1 per contest. The biggest difference might be his impact on the defensive end of the court with him averaging 0.9 blocks per game, up from 0.5 per game at ‘Cuse. That being said, he turns the ball over about twice as much, so there is some tradeoff.
Mounir Hima essentially fills the same role for the Orange now and he is much more effective with more blocks and fewer turnovers per game in just about the same amount of play time. Give Anselem credit for acclimating to a new team, but his absence has not been felt so far in CNY.
Robert Braswell
Through one year, it looked like Robert Braswell made the right decision to leave Syracuse for more playing time at Charlotte. He nearly eight more minutes of action per night in 2021-22 with the 49ers, shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. Braswell made himself an indispensable part of the rotation. He had never really shown that ability at Syracuse. His third and final year with the Orange was when he finally saw consistent game action, but he only managed 12 minutes per game.
Unfortunately, this season has not been as strong for Braswell. He has seen his playing time dip and his shooting touch has been way off. He is shooting just 38 percent from the field and a paltry 19 percent from 3-point range. It still probably made sense for him to leave the Orange, but he definitely would have hoped for a better finish to his college career.
Brycen Goodine
No one should regret leaving the Orange more than Brycen Goodine. The former four-star and top 100 recruit spent just one season working under Jim Boeheim before bolting to the Big East. He spent two seasons with Providence, getting roughly the same or less playing time with the Friars. Then he ended up transferring again heading into this season, this time to Fairfield. He finally started to see some more significant playing time, up to about 15 minutes per game, but Goodine has only featured in four games this season due to injury. It seems like he was a bit too quick to bolt from Syracuse. Boeheim has a good track record for developing players throughout their careers. Rakeem Christmas and Trevor Cooney come to mind. Injuries aside, Goodine’s development has been underwhelming.
...
Brotherly love drives Syracuse's Quadir Copeland (spectrumlocalnews.com; MacWilliam)
Quadir Copeland's mindset is straightforward on the court.
“I haven’t been given a lot in life, so I just try to take everything, just try to be a competitor and just always know I have to compete at everything,” he said.
Copeland knows his role on the Syracuse team, even if playing time has been sparing so far this season.
“Who doesn’t want to play? But like I said, I understand and keep trying to understand the process and what it is and understand that, at the end of the day, it’s bigger than me," Copeland said. "I tell those guys, call them my brother every day, dap them up in practice every day, tell them I love them every day. It’d be selfish of me to get into my feelings and not be there for them.”
It’s an attitude that was born and bred in his hometown of Philadelphia, a city with a rich sports history.
Growing up, Quadir didn’t see himself as a basketball player, at least at first.
“Growing up, my dad was a boxer, so I wanted to be like him," Copeland said. "I wanted to box at first. Philly is a tough place and when I was doing it, I wanted to learn how to defend myself. Not saying I have to, I just wanted to learn how to defend myself, and my dad was a good boxer. He won a lot of stuff and I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
But just months after he started boxing, his dreams shifted to the hardwood, with all the credit going to his older brother, Daiquan.
“Next thing I know, I watched my brother play basketball, and that’s what I wanted to do. I want to be like my big brother," Copeland said. "That was my idol. I just followed along with it and next thing I know, I grew to 6’5'', 6’4-ish in my 10th, 11th grade year and thought this is what I should stick with.”
Daiquan, a junior at Morgan State, paved the way for his younger sibling to achieve his dreams.
...
Syracuse basketball coaches watch 4-star Canadian PG at NYC showcase (itlh; Adler)
According to media reports and social media, a fast-rising four-star point guard who hails from Canada recently made a visit to the Orange campus, and then Syracuse basketball coaches checked him out at an event in the Big Apple.
I’m getting the sense that the recruitment of 2024 four-star prospect Jalik Dunkley-Distant is about to take off. He received a scholarship offer from the ‘Cuse in October and holds several other offers.
At the recently held Gotham City Showcase in New York City, the 6-foot-7 point guard received high praise for his play from the folks at ELITE High School Scouting.
What’s more, college basketball insider Adam Zagoria tweeted on January 8 that the ‘Cuse was among those in attendance to watch Dunkley-Distant at the Gotham City Showcase.
...
Joe Girard III "On The Block" 1-10-23 (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Joe Girard III, senior guard for Syracuse men’s basketball, joins Brent Axe to discuss the season so far, tomorrow’s matchup with Virginia Tech, and his experience this season being a leader on a young team.
Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball: Can Syracuse Basketball Get Back On Track Against A Struggling Virginia Tech? on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Matt Bonaparte and Owen Valentine take a look at the matchup that Virginia Tech presents the Syracuse Basketball team. Who can you expect to step up? What's the latest injury update with VT? Predictions? It's a Gameday Locked On Syracuse Tuesday.
Orange basketball star Joseph Girard now officially runs on Dunkin' (cnycentral.com; Misiaszek)
Syracuse University's basketball player Joseph Girard III has joined Team Dunkin’, the brand’s recruiting class of 31 exceptional student-athletes from colleges and universities nationwide.
He is a native of Glen Falls, N.Y., and is currently in his fourth season with the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team. He leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 16.8 points per game.
Team Dunkin’s class of 2023 also includes Upstate New York college sports stars Julianna Beaulieu of the Utica University Women’s Soccer Team; Andrew Platek of the Siena College Men’s Basketball Team and Anna Sprys of the Binghamton University Women’s Volleyball Team.
...
Syracuse Makes Top Five For Elijah Moore (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2024 Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes guard Elijah Moore has trimmed his list to five schools and Syracuse made the cut, according to Joe Tipton of On3.com. Syracuse made the top five along with Alabama, Arkansas, Miami and Oklahoma State.
Moore has taken official visits to Oklahoma State and Syracuse, and is looking to take one to Alabama later this month. He is targeting a decision by the end of January.
"Coaches, atmosphere, people and playing style," Moore said regarding why Syracuse made his top five.
Moore is a 6-4 guard and considered one of the best shooters and scorers in the 2024 recruiting class. When he visited in October, the Orange made a big impression.
"The visit was really fun," Moore said. "I enjoyed the time I spent with the coaches and players. They treated me with love and definitely had a lot of good parts to it. I had a couple meetings with people from the school. I saw the campus, ate breakfast with the coaches, watched the team practice. I went to their orange and white game. I definitely did a lot.
...
Close losses put dent in VT’s record, but 2 key returners expect to play at SU (what to know) (PS; $; Waters)
Don’t be fooled by the Virginia Tech Hokies or their win-loss record.
On Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Syracuse Orange will host a Virginia Tech team whose record belies just how good the Hokies really are.
After losing its last four games, Virginia Tech enters the Dome with a 11-5 overall record and a surprising 1-4 conference mark.
Again, don’t be fooled.
The Hokies are an eye-lash shy of being 13-3, 15-1 or even undefeated.
The Hokies’ five losses have been by an average of 3.2 points and none by more than five. The widest margin, a 70-65 loss at Boston College, came in overtime. Virginia Tech’s last four losses have been, in order, by: five point in overtime (BC), two points (Wake Forest), three points (Clemson) and four points (N.C. State).
And here’s the kicker: Virginia Tech has been without one of its best players for the last three games and its top recruit for the entire season.
Both are expected to play against Syracuse (more on them later).
Syracuse, meanwhile, comes into Wednesday night’s game on the heels of a 73-66 loss at Virginia on Saturday. The game repeated a trend of the Orange failing behind early. Virginia opened up a 23-point lead before SU rallied to make the game close.
...
Desperate Hokies Seek Significant Road Win At Syracuse (sportswar.com; Cunningham)
Virginia Tech men’s basketball (11-5, 1-4 ACC) rides a four-game losing streak into Wednesday’s clash at Syracuse (10-6, 3-2 ACC). The Hokies are desperate for a fortune-changing result. Tom Werme and Terrence Oglesby have the call at 7 p.m. ET on RSN.
Tech’s missed senior guard Hunter Cattoor in the last three contests after he bruised his left elbow at Boston College on Dec. 21. He’s a game-time decision for Syracuse, though head coach Mike Young is hopeful. However, true freshman Rodney Rice is medically cleared and is expected to make his Virginia Tech debut on Wednesday.
The Orange return home after a 73-66 loss at Virginia on Saturday. Before that, though, they won two straight games against Boston College and Louisville.
Syracuse current sits at No. 133 in the NET (No. 90 in KenPom). Tech is 6-11 in the all-time series, and 2-2 under Young. Justyn Mutts had the program’s second-ever triple-double in last season’s 71-59 win in Cassell Coliseum. Yet, VT lost the previous two outings, including a 78-60 drubbing in January 2021 in Syracuse.
The notable fact: Virginia Tech has only won at the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly the Carrier Dome) once in eight tries.
Justyn Mutts led the way for the Hokies with a triple-double in last year’s meeting vs. Syracuse. (Jon Fleming)
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse men’s basketball: Midseason grades (TNIAAM; Staff)
We’ve reached the halfway point of the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season. With 16 of the guaranteed 32 games (31 in the regular season + at least one in the ACC Tournament) completed, the TNIAAM staff are here to give our thoughts on the team’s performance so far.
Mike: The consensus in our preseason predictions was that ‘Cuse should be between NIT bound and a double-digit Tournament team... but that was counting on the Orange playing well to start the year. They did not. Brutal bye-game losses to Colgate and Bryant, combined with much of the freshman class underperforming, means that it’s looking like another year where even the NIT is not guaranteed. What has been guaranteed is how SU comes out flat to start each and every game - and that’s unacceptable at this point. I will credit Judah Mintz for mostly living up to the hype.
Grade: C
Kevin: I expected Syracuse to be better at this point in the season. With tougher games looming, we could see a great rebound or a second straight disappointing season. As individuals I think many are playing at or above pre-season expectations, but they have struggled to all click at the same time. It’s January and this team still lacks an identity. While I expect they knock off a couple of better teams down the stretch, I think we’re getting a couple more regrettable losses as well.
Grade: C-
...
TNIAAM Reacts: We want your thoughts on Syracuse Basketball (TNIAAM; Thele & Wall)
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Syracuse Orange fans and fans across the country.
Sign up here to participate.
This week we want to know how many wins you think the men’s basketball team finishes the regular season with.
Who’s been the best Syracuse MBB player at the mid-season point?
Do you think Felisha Legette-Jack’s women’s team can make a push to the NCAA Tournament?
Finally, do you think Syracuse football will make a bowl game?
Answer the questions below and we’ll post the results at the end of the week.
...
Other
Rendering of a proposed cable-stayed bridge soaring 70 feet above downtown Syracuse in place of the aging I-81 overpass. (Provided photo)
Why an I-81 ‘skyway’ would be costly and unworkable: ‘Who wants to live under a 70-foot bridge?’ (PS; Breidenbach)
From breaking environmental laws to threatening endangered bats, a new opposition group has thrown everything at its last-minute legal argument to stop the state from tearing down the Interstate 81 overpass in Syracuse.
What could be lost in all the noise is this: This group wants to replace the aging I-81 overpass with an even bigger bridge. It’s an expensive, time-consuming, intrusive, impractical feat of engineering opposed by government officials from Syracuse City Hall to the White House.
The group Renew 81 for All wants the state to build an enormous bridge that would keep high-speed traffic flowing over the city without dropping to street level. They call it a “skyway” and want to name it after the abolitionist Harriet Tubman – even though it would cast a shadow over the Black community.
Yes, it could technically be built, experts say reluctantly. But why would anyone build such a thing?
There is nothing like it in America, experts say.
That’s because construction of a skyway over land would cost too much, take too long and knock down up to 40 functioning buildings, some of them historic landmarks. The owners of those buildings, and others that would be dwarfed by a monster bridge, would sue the state and complain the project kills any chance of economic development.
Once built, a skyway over snowy Syracuse would drop ice bombs on cars and people below.
If you’ve ever felt scared on the current I-81 overpass, the fear factor would be multiplied as cars climb toward the sky. If you got stuck up there, it would be difficult for anyone to get you down.
...
Not to be confused with World Milk Day on June 1, National Milk Day falls on January 11 to observe the very first time milk was delivered to homes inside sterilized glass bottles. It took until 1878 before anybody thought to fill bottles with milk and seal them with waxed paper. Before that, conditions for storing milk (let alone delivering it) were unsanitary at best and downright hazardous at worst.
SU News
Tech attempts to right the ship at Syracuse on Wednesday - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Following another game in which victory barely escaped Virginia Tech, the Hokies travel to Syracuse in an attempt to reverse their ACC and road fortunes on Wednesday night. Tom Werme and Terrence Oglesby will be on the call for RSN at 7 p.m., while Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop provide coverage for the Virginia Tech Sports Network.
Stay Connected with Tech Men's Basketball
SCOUTING THE ORANGE
- Syracuse is coming off a 73-66 defeat to then-No. 11 Virginia on the road. After experiencing a three-game skid early in the season, the Orange are 7-2 since the beginning of December.
- Senior guard Joseph Girard III leads Cuse in scoring with 16.8 points, while senior center Jesse Edwards is averaging a double-double with 13.3 points and 10.9 boards.
- The Orange can cause issues on defense, ranking third or better in the ACC in field-goal percentage defense (40.2%) and steals (8.3%).
- Virginia Tech trails 11-6 in the all-time series against Syracuse.
- The Hokies have won three of the last five matchups, including last season's lone meeting – a 71-59 Tech victory in Blacksburg.
- The first game of the series was played on Feb. 28, 1976 in Syracuse - a 92-81 win by the Hokies.
- Tech is 2-7 against the Orange on the road, including 1-1 under Mike Young.
- Jim Boeheim has been Syracuse's head coach in all but one game in the Virginia Tech series - missing the first one.
Transfers have struggled following Syracuse basketball stints - The Juice Online (the juice; McGlynn)
If Jim Boeheim is ever looking to persuade a young player to stay with the program, all he should have to do is point to the transfers out of Syracuse as a reason not to leave. The list of players to transfer out and find success is short, if existent at all. At the same time, Orange fans would preferred for a few players to stay, namely Kadary Richmond and Quincy Guerrier.
There are seven former ‘Cuse players still featuring in college basketball lineups. Let’s check in on how the exports have fared since exiting the program.
Frank Anselem
Not much has changed for Frank Anselem. His situation has not really improved, nor has it gotten worse. The former SU big man landed at Georgia and has filled a very similar role to the one he did in Central New York. His numbers look very much the same across the board. He is playing just one more minute per game and his scoring is up from 2.7 points per game to 3.1 per contest. The biggest difference might be his impact on the defensive end of the court with him averaging 0.9 blocks per game, up from 0.5 per game at ‘Cuse. That being said, he turns the ball over about twice as much, so there is some tradeoff.
Mounir Hima essentially fills the same role for the Orange now and he is much more effective with more blocks and fewer turnovers per game in just about the same amount of play time. Give Anselem credit for acclimating to a new team, but his absence has not been felt so far in CNY.
Robert Braswell
Through one year, it looked like Robert Braswell made the right decision to leave Syracuse for more playing time at Charlotte. He nearly eight more minutes of action per night in 2021-22 with the 49ers, shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. Braswell made himself an indispensable part of the rotation. He had never really shown that ability at Syracuse. His third and final year with the Orange was when he finally saw consistent game action, but he only managed 12 minutes per game.
Unfortunately, this season has not been as strong for Braswell. He has seen his playing time dip and his shooting touch has been way off. He is shooting just 38 percent from the field and a paltry 19 percent from 3-point range. It still probably made sense for him to leave the Orange, but he definitely would have hoped for a better finish to his college career.
Brycen Goodine
No one should regret leaving the Orange more than Brycen Goodine. The former four-star and top 100 recruit spent just one season working under Jim Boeheim before bolting to the Big East. He spent two seasons with Providence, getting roughly the same or less playing time with the Friars. Then he ended up transferring again heading into this season, this time to Fairfield. He finally started to see some more significant playing time, up to about 15 minutes per game, but Goodine has only featured in four games this season due to injury. It seems like he was a bit too quick to bolt from Syracuse. Boeheim has a good track record for developing players throughout their careers. Rakeem Christmas and Trevor Cooney come to mind. Injuries aside, Goodine’s development has been underwhelming.
...
Brotherly love drives Syracuse's Quadir Copeland (spectrumlocalnews.com; MacWilliam)
Quadir Copeland's mindset is straightforward on the court.
“I haven’t been given a lot in life, so I just try to take everything, just try to be a competitor and just always know I have to compete at everything,” he said.
Copeland knows his role on the Syracuse team, even if playing time has been sparing so far this season.
“Who doesn’t want to play? But like I said, I understand and keep trying to understand the process and what it is and understand that, at the end of the day, it’s bigger than me," Copeland said. "I tell those guys, call them my brother every day, dap them up in practice every day, tell them I love them every day. It’d be selfish of me to get into my feelings and not be there for them.”
It’s an attitude that was born and bred in his hometown of Philadelphia, a city with a rich sports history.
What You Need To Know
- Quadir Copeland will be the first to say he's learned a lot about himself during his time at Syracuse
- Playing time has been sparing so far, but he's embracing his role
- Growing up in Philadelphia, he wanted to be boxer but decided to play basketball after watching his brother play
Growing up, Quadir didn’t see himself as a basketball player, at least at first.
“Growing up, my dad was a boxer, so I wanted to be like him," Copeland said. "I wanted to box at first. Philly is a tough place and when I was doing it, I wanted to learn how to defend myself. Not saying I have to, I just wanted to learn how to defend myself, and my dad was a good boxer. He won a lot of stuff and I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
But just months after he started boxing, his dreams shifted to the hardwood, with all the credit going to his older brother, Daiquan.
“Next thing I know, I watched my brother play basketball, and that’s what I wanted to do. I want to be like my big brother," Copeland said. "That was my idol. I just followed along with it and next thing I know, I grew to 6’5'', 6’4-ish in my 10th, 11th grade year and thought this is what I should stick with.”
Daiquan, a junior at Morgan State, paved the way for his younger sibling to achieve his dreams.
...
Syracuse basketball coaches watch 4-star Canadian PG at NYC showcase (itlh; Adler)
According to media reports and social media, a fast-rising four-star point guard who hails from Canada recently made a visit to the Orange campus, and then Syracuse basketball coaches checked him out at an event in the Big Apple.
I’m getting the sense that the recruitment of 2024 four-star prospect Jalik Dunkley-Distant is about to take off. He received a scholarship offer from the ‘Cuse in October and holds several other offers.
At the recently held Gotham City Showcase in New York City, the 6-foot-7 point guard received high praise for his play from the folks at ELITE High School Scouting.
What’s more, college basketball insider Adam Zagoria tweeted on January 8 that the ‘Cuse was among those in attendance to watch Dunkley-Distant at the Gotham City Showcase.
Syracuse basketball appears to have strong interest in Canadian point guard Jalik Dunkley-Distant.
Dunkley-Distant attends Orangeville Prep in Mono, Ontario, and he runs on the AAU circuit with the Toronto-based Bounce Elite in Nike’s EYBL league....
Joe Girard III "On The Block" 1-10-23 (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Joe Girard III, senior guard for Syracuse men’s basketball, joins Brent Axe to discuss the season so far, tomorrow’s matchup with Virginia Tech, and his experience this season being a leader on a young team.
Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball: Can Syracuse Basketball Get Back On Track Against A Struggling Virginia Tech? on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Matt Bonaparte and Owen Valentine take a look at the matchup that Virginia Tech presents the Syracuse Basketball team. Who can you expect to step up? What's the latest injury update with VT? Predictions? It's a Gameday Locked On Syracuse Tuesday.
Orange basketball star Joseph Girard now officially runs on Dunkin' (cnycentral.com; Misiaszek)
Syracuse University's basketball player Joseph Girard III has joined Team Dunkin’, the brand’s recruiting class of 31 exceptional student-athletes from colleges and universities nationwide.
He is a native of Glen Falls, N.Y., and is currently in his fourth season with the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team. He leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 16.8 points per game.
Team Dunkin’s class of 2023 also includes Upstate New York college sports stars Julianna Beaulieu of the Utica University Women’s Soccer Team; Andrew Platek of the Siena College Men’s Basketball Team and Anna Sprys of the Binghamton University Women’s Volleyball Team.
...
Syracuse Makes Top Five For Elijah Moore (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2024 Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes guard Elijah Moore has trimmed his list to five schools and Syracuse made the cut, according to Joe Tipton of On3.com. Syracuse made the top five along with Alabama, Arkansas, Miami and Oklahoma State.
Moore has taken official visits to Oklahoma State and Syracuse, and is looking to take one to Alabama later this month. He is targeting a decision by the end of January.
"Coaches, atmosphere, people and playing style," Moore said regarding why Syracuse made his top five.
Moore is a 6-4 guard and considered one of the best shooters and scorers in the 2024 recruiting class. When he visited in October, the Orange made a big impression.
"The visit was really fun," Moore said. "I enjoyed the time I spent with the coaches and players. They treated me with love and definitely had a lot of good parts to it. I had a couple meetings with people from the school. I saw the campus, ate breakfast with the coaches, watched the team practice. I went to their orange and white game. I definitely did a lot.
...
Close losses put dent in VT’s record, but 2 key returners expect to play at SU (what to know) (PS; $; Waters)
Don’t be fooled by the Virginia Tech Hokies or their win-loss record.
On Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Syracuse Orange will host a Virginia Tech team whose record belies just how good the Hokies really are.
After losing its last four games, Virginia Tech enters the Dome with a 11-5 overall record and a surprising 1-4 conference mark.
Again, don’t be fooled.
The Hokies are an eye-lash shy of being 13-3, 15-1 or even undefeated.
The Hokies’ five losses have been by an average of 3.2 points and none by more than five. The widest margin, a 70-65 loss at Boston College, came in overtime. Virginia Tech’s last four losses have been, in order, by: five point in overtime (BC), two points (Wake Forest), three points (Clemson) and four points (N.C. State).
And here’s the kicker: Virginia Tech has been without one of its best players for the last three games and its top recruit for the entire season.
Both are expected to play against Syracuse (more on them later).
Syracuse, meanwhile, comes into Wednesday night’s game on the heels of a 73-66 loss at Virginia on Saturday. The game repeated a trend of the Orange failing behind early. Virginia opened up a 23-point lead before SU rallied to make the game close.
...
Desperate Hokies Seek Significant Road Win At Syracuse (sportswar.com; Cunningham)
Virginia Tech men’s basketball (11-5, 1-4 ACC) rides a four-game losing streak into Wednesday’s clash at Syracuse (10-6, 3-2 ACC). The Hokies are desperate for a fortune-changing result. Tom Werme and Terrence Oglesby have the call at 7 p.m. ET on RSN.
Tech’s missed senior guard Hunter Cattoor in the last three contests after he bruised his left elbow at Boston College on Dec. 21. He’s a game-time decision for Syracuse, though head coach Mike Young is hopeful. However, true freshman Rodney Rice is medically cleared and is expected to make his Virginia Tech debut on Wednesday.
The Orange return home after a 73-66 loss at Virginia on Saturday. Before that, though, they won two straight games against Boston College and Louisville.
Syracuse current sits at No. 133 in the NET (No. 90 in KenPom). Tech is 6-11 in the all-time series, and 2-2 under Young. Justyn Mutts had the program’s second-ever triple-double in last season’s 71-59 win in Cassell Coliseum. Yet, VT lost the previous two outings, including a 78-60 drubbing in January 2021 in Syracuse.
The notable fact: Virginia Tech has only won at the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly the Carrier Dome) once in eight tries.
Justyn Mutts led the way for the Hokies with a triple-double in last year’s meeting vs. Syracuse. (Jon Fleming)Syracuse
In early November, Tech Sideline split the conference in half and published two previews of the teams around the ACC. Here’s the synopsis for Syracuse:...
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse men’s basketball: Midseason grades (TNIAAM; Staff)
We’ve reached the halfway point of the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season. With 16 of the guaranteed 32 games (31 in the regular season + at least one in the ACC Tournament) completed, the TNIAAM staff are here to give our thoughts on the team’s performance so far.
Mike: The consensus in our preseason predictions was that ‘Cuse should be between NIT bound and a double-digit Tournament team... but that was counting on the Orange playing well to start the year. They did not. Brutal bye-game losses to Colgate and Bryant, combined with much of the freshman class underperforming, means that it’s looking like another year where even the NIT is not guaranteed. What has been guaranteed is how SU comes out flat to start each and every game - and that’s unacceptable at this point. I will credit Judah Mintz for mostly living up to the hype.
Grade: C
Kevin: I expected Syracuse to be better at this point in the season. With tougher games looming, we could see a great rebound or a second straight disappointing season. As individuals I think many are playing at or above pre-season expectations, but they have struggled to all click at the same time. It’s January and this team still lacks an identity. While I expect they knock off a couple of better teams down the stretch, I think we’re getting a couple more regrettable losses as well.
Grade: C-
...
TNIAAM Reacts: We want your thoughts on Syracuse Basketball (TNIAAM; Thele & Wall)
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Syracuse Orange fans and fans across the country.
Sign up here to participate.
This week we want to know how many wins you think the men’s basketball team finishes the regular season with.
Who’s been the best Syracuse MBB player at the mid-season point?
Do you think Felisha Legette-Jack’s women’s team can make a push to the NCAA Tournament?
Finally, do you think Syracuse football will make a bowl game?
Answer the questions below and we’ll post the results at the end of the week.
...
Other
Rendering of a proposed cable-stayed bridge soaring 70 feet above downtown Syracuse in place of the aging I-81 overpass. (Provided photo)
Why an I-81 ‘skyway’ would be costly and unworkable: ‘Who wants to live under a 70-foot bridge?’ (PS; Breidenbach)
From breaking environmental laws to threatening endangered bats, a new opposition group has thrown everything at its last-minute legal argument to stop the state from tearing down the Interstate 81 overpass in Syracuse.
What could be lost in all the noise is this: This group wants to replace the aging I-81 overpass with an even bigger bridge. It’s an expensive, time-consuming, intrusive, impractical feat of engineering opposed by government officials from Syracuse City Hall to the White House.
The group Renew 81 for All wants the state to build an enormous bridge that would keep high-speed traffic flowing over the city without dropping to street level. They call it a “skyway” and want to name it after the abolitionist Harriet Tubman – even though it would cast a shadow over the Black community.
Yes, it could technically be built, experts say reluctantly. But why would anyone build such a thing?
There is nothing like it in America, experts say.
That’s because construction of a skyway over land would cost too much, take too long and knock down up to 40 functioning buildings, some of them historic landmarks. The owners of those buildings, and others that would be dwarfed by a monster bridge, would sue the state and complain the project kills any chance of economic development.
Once built, a skyway over snowy Syracuse would drop ice bombs on cars and people below.
If you’ve ever felt scared on the current I-81 overpass, the fear factor would be multiplied as cars climb toward the sky. If you got stuck up there, it would be difficult for anyone to get you down.
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